Multielement antenna comprising selective switching means



July 1, 1969 G. A. BONADIO 3,453,635

MULTIELEMENT ANTENNA COMPRISING SELECTIVE SWITCHING MEANS Filed Sept. 16, 1966 INVENTOR. GEORGE A .BONADIQ.

ATTOR NEV United States Patent 3,453,635 MULTIELEMEN T ANTENNA COMPRISING SELECTIVE SWITCHING MEANS George A. Bonadio, 373 East Ave., Watert0wn,N.Y. 13601 Filed Sept. 16, 1966, Ser. No. 579,978 Int. Cl. H01q 9/44 U.S. Cl. 343-809 6 Claims This invention relates to an improved antenna system in general, and an improvement on the antenna system disclosed in my copending application Ser. No. 337,812 filed Jan. 15, 1964, now Patent No. 3,274,606.

In the foregoing application, provision is made in regard to an antenna comprising four like filamentary antenna wires radiating substantially horizontally in directions disposed 90 degrees from each other, for instantaneous shifting of the radiation pattern 90 degrees, so that during reception or transmission, should fading occur, a shift to the other pattern may be made to avoid the fading effect of the first pattern, the shifting being effected without complication to the attached receiver, or transmitting circuits, since, except for the shift in radiation .pattern through 90, the antenna is symmetrical with respect to two vertical planes at right angles.

I have found that by further subdividing and spreading the basic elements of my previous antenna that an increase in response is obtained, and that such antenna is less selective. Further, by subdividing each of the elements so as to provide two diverging elements for each conductor previously employed, fading of signals transmitted from the antenna is substantially reduced. Additionally by employing eight conductors arranged on the diagonals of a hypothetical cube, an additional advantage is gained, since the antenna elements can be switched to afford vertical polarization, with the antenna constants being the same as when polarized in either of the two horizontal directions. While arrangement of the conductors on the diagonals of a hypothetical cube provides for polarization in any of three directions with the antenna constants remaining constant, under some circumstances, horizontal polarization in two directions at right angles, with the antenna constants the same may suffice, and for this purpose the antenna filaments may lie on the diagonals of a hypothetical solid having square horizontal bases whose four sides are like rectangles.

The above and other novel features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is expressly understood that the drawings are employed for purposes of illustration only and are not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawing there is shown in frontal perspective the antenna system disposed about a greatly enlarged switching apparatus, indicated as arranged in a hypothetical cube with horizontal upper and lower faces.

Referring to the drawing there is shown diagrammatically a vertically shiftable switch, having a plurality of vertically shiftable contact members 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36 and 38, all mounted upon a non-conductive central control rod 40, adapted to be shifted from the position shown, where it may be resiliently centered, as by springs 42, shifting being accomplished by any suitable means such as a polarized armature 106, in a direct current solenoid 102, adapted to be deener-gized for the position shown or energized in either direction, to shift the switch contact members up or down from the position shown.

The antenna system preferably radiates from a center 48 of the switch, the antenna wires or rods 50, 52, 54 and 56, and their counterparts 51, 53, 55 and 57 being preferably disposed on the diagonals of a hypothetical cube having a horizontal upper face bounded by the broken lines 60, 62, 64 and 66, and a lower horizontal face bounded by the broken lines 70, 72, 74 and 76, and side faces preferably oriented in north-south, and east-west planes, the sides lying in a northerly east-west plane being represented by the broken lines 60, 81, 70, 83, and southerly east-west plane being represented by broken lines 64, 80, 74 and 82. It will be appreciated that in the View referred to, the side faces of the hypothetical cube lying in the north-south planes, appear somewhat edgewise, the easterly side being in the plane indicated by the lines 82, 66, 83 and 76, and the westerly side being in the plane indicated by the lines 80, 62, 81 and 72.

Thus the antenna wires 54 and 51 will lie in a vertical plane, the wire 54 extending upwardly 45 from the horizontal whereas the wire 51 extends downwardly at an angle of 45 from the horizon. In like manner wires 56 and 53 lie in a common vertical plane, as do wires 50 and 55, and wires 52 and 57. All wires are of equal length, and the antenna center 48 will in a representative case be located sufficiently high above the ground, so as to render the effect of the ground negligible. In practice, when employing wires each of a length of 20 feet, the center 48 may be located about 60 feet above ground. The area occupied by such an antenna will approximate a circle of 14-15 feet in radius, and the hypothetical cube will have 'a dimension of about 20 feet on each side.

The inner ends of each antenna wire or antenna rod will terminate in a switch contact terminal such as 150, 152, 154, 156, and such contact terminals, in relation to the switch, may be arranged to be on the diagonals of the hypothetical cube referred to, or such contact terminals, being eight in number, may be considered as markers for the corners of a small cube, the size of which will be dictated by the size of the switch parts, and aligned with the exterior cube.

The switch, in the position shown, connects all antenna wires 50, 52, 54 and 56 together through the disk contact member 24, and connects all antenna wires 51, 53, 55 and 57 together through the disk contact member 34. In this position the polarization of the antenna system is vertical. It will be seen that the contacts 24 and 34 are connected to the leads and 92 of a balanced transmission line through the leads 91 and 93.

Shifting the switch contact members to the upper position, will locate the contact members 26 and 28, in line with contact terminals 150, 152, 154 and 156, and contact members 36 and 38 in line with contact terminals 151, 153, 155 and 157. The contact members 26 and 28 are insulated from each other as are contact members 36 and 38. Contact members 26 and 36, however, are connected through lead 91 to lead 90, and contact members 28 and 38 are connected to lead 92. With the switch in this position antenna conductors 57, 52, 54 and 51 are connected together to lead 90', while antenna conductors 50, 55, 56 and 53 are connected together and to lead 92, and the antenna is polarized in a north and south direction.

Shifting the switch to the lower position brings contact members 20 and 22 into contact with switch contact terminals 150, 152, 154 and 156, and contact members 30' and 32 into contact with contact terminals 151, 153, 155 and 157. Members 20 and 22 are insulated from each other, as are members 30 and 32. Members 20 and 30 are connected together through lead 91 and to lead 90, and members 22 and 32 are connected together through lead 93 to lead 92. Hence antenna conductors 50, 52, 55 and 57 are connected together, and antenna conductors 54, 56, 51 and 53 are connected together, and the antenna system is polarized in an east-west direction.

From the foregoing, by actuating the switch to its upper position, north-south polarization is achieved, whereas when actuated to its lower position, east-west polarization is achieved, and when in the center position, the polarization is vertical, being relatively uniform in all horizontal directions. Since all conductors are of equal length, and lie on the diagonals of the hypothetical cube, the radio frequency reactive and resistive characteristics of the antenna are uniquely the same in all the three switch positions. Through the use of a vertically actuated switch, polarization can be instantly shifted as desired. Several other satisfactory mechanical switching means, to produce the same results, are possible, and are well known to those skilled in the switching art. In practice a double pole double throw switch, as at 100, having a center open position may serve to control the switch solenoid 102, and energize it from the battery 104, the armature 106 being permanently magnetized so that operation of the switch control rod 40 may be effected from the center position shown, up or down depending on current direction. Since the switch solenoid may be located close to the switch contacts, it may be actuated by an independent line, or by use of suitable filters and capacitors; the lines 90 and 92 can be used to actuate the switch as well as for transmission and reception.

For the purpose of illustration the switching arrangement has been greatly enlarged. It can be seen that in a switch of the general type indicated, if the spacing between the contact members 24 and 34, for example, is the same as the diameter of the members, the contacts 150, 152, 154 and 156, as well as contacts 151, 153, 155 and 157 will define the eight corners of a cube. In practice, the filamentary antenna wires may extend from the switch to four supports from which the ends of the conductor wires may be secured through suitable insulators. On the other hand each filamentary conductor may be formed of a rigid tapered fiberglass rod, suitably provided with a conductive coating, and each rod having its butt end affixed and anchored in the stationary part of the switch. In such a construction, the entire antenna would be supported from a central mast.

In some instances, the length of the filamentary wires, and the space, and available supports may prevent arrangement of the antenna wires, on the diagonals of a cube. In such case, by arranging the antenna wires such as 52, 57, and 54, 51, and 56, 53, and 50, 55, so as to incline upwardly and downwardly from the horizontal at equal angles, though less than 45 degrees, while preserving the square horizontal configuration, the radio frequency reactive, and resistive characteristics of the antenna will be the same for north-south, or east-west polarization. The hypothetical figure in such case, instead of being a cube would be a solid having like square upper and lower faces, and identical rectangular sides.

While for descriptive purposes, polarization on an east-west and north-south basis has been chosen, it will be obvious that the antenna may be set up with the elements 50, 55, 51 and 54 lying in an east-west plane, and the elements 52, 57, 56 and '53 lying in a north-south plane. In fact, any desired orientation may be employed, and if the antenna be supported solely by a central mast, such mast can be rendered rotatable through a range of 45 degrees, and any selected two directions of horizontal polarization, at right angles to each other can be had by a combination of such rotation, and the switching provided for at the center of the system.

While a single embodiment with variations of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. As various changes in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, reference will be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An antenna system having eight filamentary elements of equal length, and disposed on the diagonals of a spatial cube having its upper and lower surfaces horizontal, each element having its outer end terminating at a corner of the cube, and its inner end connected to a switch contact, and switching means disposed at the center of said cube and including said contacts and having two connections for the two leads of a balanced transmission line and three positions comprising a first position adapted to connect the upper four of said antenna elements together and to a lead, and the lower four of said antenna elements together and to the other lead, a second position adapted to connect the four of said antenna elements extending out to the corners of one side of said cube together and to one lead, and the other four of said antenna elements extending out to the opposite side of said cube together and to the other lead, and a third position adapted to connect the four of said antenna elements extending out to the corners of another side of the cube together and to one lead, and the other four of said antenna wires extending out to the corners of said side of said cube opposite to said other side together and to the other lead.

2. An antenna system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the switching means includes operating means for instantly shifting from any one position to any other of the three positions.

3. An antenna system having eight filamentary elements of equal length, and disposed on the diagonals of a spatial solid having upper and lower like square horizontal surfaces, and four identical rectangular sides, each element having its outer end terminating at a corner of the solid, and its inner end connected to a switch contact, and switching means disposed at the center of said solid and including said contacts and having two connections for the two leads of a balanced transmission line and two positions comprising a first position adapted to connect the four of said antenna elements extending out to the corners of one side of said solid together and to one lead, and the other four of said antenna elements extending out to the opposite side of said solid together and to the other lead, and a second position adapted to connect the four of said antenna elements extending out to the corners of another side of the solid together and to one lead, and the other four of said antenna wires extending out to the corners of the side of said solid opposite to said other side together and to the other lead.

4. An antenna system in accordance with claim 3, wherein the switching means includes operating means for instantly shifting from one position to the other.

5. An antenna system in accordance with claim 3, wherein the switching means has a third position adapted to connect the upper four of said antenna elements together and to a lead, and the lower four of said antenna elements together and to the lower lead.

6. An antenna system in accordance with claim 5, wherein the switching means includes operating means for instantly shifting from any one position to any other of the three positions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1956 Middlemark 343876 XR 5/1959 Bittner et al. 343-876 XR US. Cl. X.R. 343-876 

1. AN ANTENNA SYSTEM HAVING EIGHT FILAMENTARY ELEMENTS OF EQUAL LENGTH, AND DISPOSED ON THE DIAGONALS OF A SPATIAL CUBE HAVING ITS UPPER AND LOWER SURFACES HORIZONTAL, EACH ELEMENT HAVING ITS OUTER END TERMINATING AT A CORNER OF THE CUBE, AND ITS INNER END CONNECTED TO A SWITCH CONTACT, AND SWITCHING MEANS DISPOSED AT THE CENTER OF SAID CUBE AND INCLUDING SAID CONTACTS AND HAVING TWO CONNECTIONS FOR THE TWO LEADS OF A BALANCED TRANSMISSION LINE AND THREE POSITIONS COMPRISING A FIRST POSITION ADAPTED TO CONNECT THE UPPER FOUR OF SAID ANTENNA ELEMENTS TOGETHER AND TO A LEAD, AND THE LOWER FOUR OF SAID ANTENNA ELEMENTS TOGETHER AND TO THE OTHER LEAD, A SECOND POSITION ADAPTED TO CONNECT THE FOUR OF SAID 